https://youtu.be/hvIFQMBLhGQ

ONE WEEK LATER

A queen stared out of the mirror.

She had crimson lips, flawlessly bronzed skin and pink hair curving into an elaborate knot. Puffed out sleeves and embroidered drapery popped out in iridescent magenta, interspersed with black and white. A wreath of gold perched on her head, twisting into an ornate algal shape.

It was Queen Dea, the newly crowned monarch of Calliathron. She kept repeating it in her head, but this was a stranger she didn't recognize.

Out of the picture of perfection, half-lidded eyes looked on—pools of molten gold enhanced by the shining starfish jewelry on her neck and ears. She had barely glanced at a mirror since returning to Calliathron a week ago. Now, as she peered closer, a void yawned behind her kohl-enhanced gaze.

Dea turned her head slightly to the side and traced the pattern that extended out from the corner of her eye. It was a cresting ocean wave—a benign mark of vitality that hid the power to carve out colossal arches of rock and raze entire cities to the ground.

These were times as treacherous as a brewing cyclone. The burden was heavy on her shoulders.

The air of disuse lingered in the air, even though they had done their best to prepare the queen's chamber for the occasion. The pearlescent room was bigger than the entirety of Gramma's mobile home.

She tuned into the hushed medley of clinks, voices and splashes. The stylist who had done her hair hurriedly cleared the mess on the table, while another bustled about somewhere behind her. A photographer hovered in the background, biding her time for an artistic shot.

As the activity unfolded, Dea watched on with detached interest as if she were experiencing a hyperrealistic video game than her own life. It was the same reaction she had when they introduced her to the few living members of her mother's family over the course of the week.

The door slid open, accompanied by splashing noises.

Hima entered the room, leading Gramma in. The dark cloud that engulfed her had extended to swallow her friend as well, judging by the set jaw and grim expression.

Gramma swam to a stop next to her and whispered, "You look so much like your mother today."

Dea made no response as she fingered the starfish necklace. The jewelry was retrieved from the pawn shop and delivered to her three days ago. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.

It was almost time.

The new queen of Calliathron was to address her people for the first time.

"To be honest, child," Gramma began to say and faltered. "I don't have a good feeling about—of course, His Excellency knows best. I just—"

"I want to do this," Dea said, her voice coming out gravelly. "I have to set this right."

Gramma sighed and wrung her hands. Hima simply leaned against the wall, arms crossed and face vacant.

A firm fist knocked on the door.

It turned out to be two members of the Royal Guard. "If you're ready, Your Highness, we would like to escort you."

Without a word, Dea pushed back the chair and got to her tail. One of the stylists hastened to do last minute adjustments to her outfit. A makeup artist materialized to dab at her cheeks.

She glided down the hallway, flanked by the guard. Magenta drapes trailed behind her like the oral arms of a jellyfish. From the polished picture frames to the sparkling water, everything was resplendent.

The noise lapped against her long before she reached the destination.

The hallway opened into the mezzanine of the atrium. An undulating balustrade hemmed it in and formed a barrier that kept the shallow pool at bay. A large screen stood suspended from the ceiling, projecting the live recording. Hal Moray Massa, Talmus Mora and other state officials sat on high-backed chairs. They turned at her approach and bowed their heads.

Dea swam up to the podium set up for the occasion and looked down onto the atrium.

It was now brimming with people, including camera crews and the Royal Guard. Among those in attendance were more state officials and the Youth Council. Purple tapestries cascaded down columns, displaying the royal crest. The fountain stood at the center—as grand as ever under the flood of illumination.

The sound levels abruptly dipped, echoing against the walls before decaying. Cameras swiveled along with many heads, and lights trained on her, glaring white on her retinas.

"Citizens of Calliathron," Dea announced, her amplified voice sweeping over the space. "I speak to you today as your new queen."

The very air tingled with anticipation against the soundscape of rushing water. Cameras whirred, accompanied by the occasional beep of equipment. She couldn't help detecting the subtle undercurrent of unease—like the calm before a storm.

"As you probably know, I may appear before you as a royal, but the blood of the people runs in my veins. I was not raised in a palace. My grandmother raised me in a mobile home in the suburb of Hirigale. I won a scholarship to enter Olivine Girls' High School at fourteen, and it was during this time that Cyclone Taraha struck the reef not far from where I lived." She paused, closing her eyes for a long moment. "I've observed the disturbing signs of change before this, but as I watched the destruction and the frantic rescue efforts that night, I had an epiphany. It was up to us young people to live with this, and it was up to us to do something about it."

The words stirred a hushed response from the members of the Youth Council.

Dea continued, "If I could communicate with my mother and father on this day, I would tell them that I am here to follow their footsteps and work selflessly to ensure that Calliathron thrives for generations to come. I would tell them that I am here to build upon their legacy to ensure that every merperson reaches their fullest potential under our age-old policy of sustainable development. I would tell them that I pledge to be a steward of the oceans just like they were and protect its creatures—from the tiniest reef fishes to the giants of the deep.

"However, we face the most difficult time in the history of our civilization. The waters are warming, climate disasters are increasing, corals are dying and marine life is disappearing. These problems have festered over the years, and we can no longer turn a blind eye.

"And that is why the wreath I wear today is both a great honor and a fearsome responsibility."

The twin cascades of the fountain splashed into the pool. The water chimed crystal clear in the silence of the atrium.

"Sheltered in this pocket universe of coral, it is easy for us to imagine that these problems can still be traced to natural causes—or they're simply too complex to stem from the actions of one species, which lives on land, no less," Dea said, her gaze moving over the many upturned faces. "Recent events and new knowledge have led me to the incontrovertible conclusion which I refused to believe up until now. The problems we face today are the symptoms of one disease. Humans."

Murmurs broke out like the dawn chorus of reef fishes.

"My friends and family may be surprised to hear this coming from me," Dea said over the buzz. "But I believe strength lies in acknowledging what's real and moving forward. This is my message to all of you who are pro-human. I assure you that I know where you come from. Why? Because I've been there. In fact, I was a vocal pro-human advocate. But that was before my paradigm shift. I have set up a website, where the most recent findings and video footage are freely available for public viewing—including statements from the scientists at MerTech. I invite you to peruse the material—but please be advised that it is acutely distressing."

She waited while the website address appeared on the screen. The nightmares that haunted her day and night surged up, followed by a feeling akin to simmering magma.

Dea adjusted the microphone while the voices gradually ebbed away again. "Our oceans are under attack. And we will all perish if we don't act. There's no way I can sugarcoat this.

"Serendiva is the closest human country to our atoll. They consider us a threat—an inconvenience that needs to vanish. Of course, if the oceans die, then life on land will also die—but humans still don't care. The most disturbing news of all—our intel has confirmed that they hold merpeople captive. Yes, that's right. These prisoners are doubtlessly subjected to experimentation."

The Royal Guard had to call for order when exclamations burst out, followed by a tide of emotion—ranging from shock to skepticism.

"The petitions you have signed and your tireless protests are not in vain," Dea said, her voice rising up several decibels. "I hear you loud and clear. I hear the cries of our sea cows. I hear the fading whispers of our corals. I hear the gasps of the turtles suffocating on human plastic. I hear the silent wail of the fishes that die in lethal nets. I hear the death throes of the whales as harpoons explode in their brains. This has to end now.

"I may be young in age, but don't take my inexperience for incompetence. I don't work alone. The force we have set up to tackle this monumental task is made up of the very best in the state. We have a coalition of the finest scientists, strategists, intel units and armed forces—from veterans to young visionaries.

"I solemnly pledge that we will work to confront this threat head on and bring the human government to submit to our terms. We will lead Calliathron to a better tomorrow. No longer will Serendiva terrorize our oceans—from the sunny high seas to the deepest hadal depths."

A clap cracked the stillness. It resounded off the central islet of marble.

That single action set off a chain reaction as more claps sprang forth. A fist pumped the air from the corner occupied by the Youth Council. Dea's eyes homed in on a familiar head—a pixie hairstyle with a shaved side, where a sea wave tattoo peeped through the stubble.

A nanosecond later, the atrium erupted in a tumult of applause and calls of solidarity. Fists rose into the air, and more applause emanated from the officials behind her.

The reaction kindled the fire within. Dilip Goonewardane, you will answer to your crimes. You messed with the wrong mermaid.

In her peripheral vision, she observed Hima watching from the hallway, the clenched jaw making her face more angular than ever.

Dea's hand closed over the microphone in a tight grip. "Yes, it's time. We take the fight to them. They plunder the planet and empty the seas. They mercilessly kill trillions, leaving nothing but death and destruction in their wake. They've captured our people and hold them prisoners. They're bringing about the next mass extinction. It's time for us to say enough is enough. I ask all citizens to unite. This means war."

Animal: Parrotfish

https://youtu.be/ss46jfDiVCw